The Christian Churches of the Ivanhoe / Heidelberg area have come together under a Covenant agreement (see below) in recognition of our common Baptism, agreeing to work together to make visible the unity of Christ and to lay the foundation for further combined activities.

As the Banyule Churches Together we meet regularly and in particular sponsor local events such as the Good Friday Walk of Witness, the annual McKinney Advent and Lent Lectures, and celebrations marking the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Ecumenical Stations of the Cross

at Mother of God Catholic Church Ivanhoe East

Lent 2022

A COVENANT BETWEEN THE CHURCHES IN BANYULE

PREAMBLE

In 1952 the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches accepted a suggestion that the Churches should agree to act together in all matters except those in which deep differences of conviction compel them to act separately (the Lund Principle).

The National Council of Churches in Australia is also encouraging local Churches to take specific steps towards a more visible expression of unity and to move towards a deeper experience of communion in the conviction that ecumenical co-operation is fundamental to the integrity of the Church's mission.

Covenants are agreements, made by Church communities who recognise their common Baptism and agree to work together to make visible the unity of Christ and to lay the foundation for further combined activities.

A local covenant offers a simple and direct way of giving practical expression to this ambition. It is also a formal agreement between a local Christian community in which a pledge is made to God, to serve and witness to the Gospel. While formal unity between Churches is still a long way off, local covenants are an interim way of exploring existing unity (real, but imperfect communion) and understanding elements of Christian mission together.

INCLUSION STATEMENT

The Banyule Covenant of Christian Churches is a fellowship of Churches which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the Scriptures and seek to fulfil together their common calling to the glory of the one God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Covenant was first signed in 2021 by:

• St. John’s Anglican Parish Heidelberg
• St. George’s Anglican Parish Ivanhoe East
• St. Pius X Catholic Parish Heidelberg West
• St. John’s Catholic Parish Heidelberg
• Mary Mother of the Church Catholic Parish Ivanhoe
• Rosanna Baptist Church
• Ivanhoe Baptist Church
• Banyule Network of the Uniting Church

THE COVENANT

We the Churches signed below, united in our common commitment to Christ and to the coming of his Kingdom, commit ourselves to serve one another in both word and deed, to seek ways to strengthen our witness, our service and worship and to search for fresh ways to express our unity in Christ so as to grow more united.

The faith leader of each of the Covenanting Churches are ex officio members of the Banyule Churches Together, and each covenanting Parish or Faith Community will appoint one representative to sit as a member of the Group for a period of twelve months.

We covenant together:

• To pray for each other's community by name on the first Sunday of each month.
• To meet at least six times a year as the Banyule Churches Together (Formerly Ivanhoe Churches Together and the Heidelberg & East Ivanhoe Ecumenical Committee) for prayer, study and planning and to share matters of common interest and concern related to church and community.
• To plan common worship activities and ecumenical study groups around the time of the major Christian festivals.
• To celebrate together the Holy Week Meal.
• To celebrate together the Good Friday Walk of Witness.
• To celebrate together the World Day of Prayer.
• To celebrate together the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
• To plan common educational opportunities for members of the Covenant Churches through public lectures such as the Rev' d Richard McKinney Lent and Advent Memorial Lecture series.
• To work together as need and opportunity arises on social justice and welfare projects.
• To encourage our members to act as volunteer helpers in joint community ventures.

We invite all our members to join in prayer and commit to this covenant towards God's future and in response to the prayer of our Lord "that they all may be one ….. that the world may believe".

This covenant will be reviewed on a biennial basis to assess progress and encourage new steps towards greater unity. Following the review, the participating parishes will renew their commitment to the Covenant.

Signed by representatives of the Covenanting Churches on the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord, 2021.